Monopole antennas are currently used in high speed and ultra high speed aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles (hereinafter UAVs), missiles, etc. These antennas are normally blade antennas like the one described in FIG. 1. Blade antennas are designed in such a way that the external blade element is attached to the skin of the aircraft, UAV or missile, and extending outwardly therefrom.
The blade antenna shape may affect the aerodynamic performance of high speed and ultra high speed aircrafts, UAVs, missiles, etc. The presence of a blade antenna on the fuselage of the aircraft, UAV or missile may cause problems such as fluid dynamic disturbances, aircraft, missile or UAV vibrations that can affect the antenna performance, or even destroy the antenna itself and heat due to friction that may alter the antenna performance or damage the antenna elements.
The use of blade antennas is normally intended in order to assure a monopole-like radiation pattern as presented in FIG. 2 where an omnidirectional radiation pattern in the horizontal plane is needed.